topic Re: Selection filter via property window in AutoCAD Forum

Selection filter via property window

Dorien_Studio-LST — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 09:27:42 GMT

If you select multiple object types, the property window shows a dropdown menu where you can select which object type's properties you want to see.

Please add a button to output this to a new selection. It would be less tedious then having to use quickselect every time.

And since it already is able to split up all object types, I would expect this to be a minor thing to implement?

Re: Selection filter via property window

DGCSCAD — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:40:31 GMT

There's Quick Select to the far right of the selection drop down:

Make a selection
On Props Palette, Select from the drop down list
Select the Quick Select Icon to the far right
Modify selection properties if needed in the pop-up
Click OK

Re: Selection filter via property window

cadffm — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:54:15 GMT

What's the differecne to start qselect in another situation or by another way? => Nothing.

Doriens post was an Idea-Mail to Autodesk.

Wrong place, wrong adress, but clearly for Autodesk.

Re: Selection filter via property window

DGCSCAD — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 11:51:02 GMT

Ah yes. Another case of the Mondayz... on a Friday no less. 🙂

Re: Selection filter via property window

ChicagoLooper — Sat, 13 Sep 2025 21:31:07 GMT

Hi @Dorien_Studio-LST

Depending on how you manage your Layers you may be able to use Select Similar.

For example, you have two text layers, (a) BLDG-EXIST-TEXT and (b) BLDG-PROP-TEXT, where each layer is dedicate to either labels for existing buildings or labels for proposed buildings.

Select an individual label for a proposed building=>Right Click=>Select Similar=>proposed building labels are now selected. (All LIKE objects on the SAME LAYER have been selected.)

The other mtext, such as mtext for existing buildings remain unselected.

Re: Selection filter via property window

andkal — Sun, 14 Sep 2025 09:25:23 GMT

Hi Dorien_Studio-LST
If you are tired with Autocads QuickSelect command then you can try this FILTERSELECTION productivity plugin. This is one of my favorites plugins that I have. It filters objects by type, layer, length, color, area, linetype and a few other standard properties. It is not freeware though.

You can find it here:
https://autolisps.blogspot.com/p/filterselectionby.html

or here:
https://apps.autodesk.com/ACD/pl/Detail/Index?id=291964691566473284&appLang=en&os=Win32_64

example:

Re: Selection filter via property window

Dorien_Studio-LST — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 06:34:08 GMT

I know about select-similar and I also use it very often. I just figured, since the objects are already filtered based on properties, this should be a minor detail to implement. This is more a quality of life thing then an absolute necessity.

Select similar also doesn't take into account what was already selected. Quickselect does, but it's very tedious to use.

They should fix select-similar on dynamic blocks though. In autocad it works well for us, but it doesn't do the same in CIVIL.

Re: Selection filter via property window

ВeekeeCZ — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 06:59:13 GMT

That's a great idea raised many times before... and ignored by ADSK. It would be so nice if one of those three icons were replaced with something actually useful. Had to see what the middle one was actually doing. Never gonna happen.

Re: Selection filter via property window

Dorien_Studio-LST — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:09:22 GMT

That middle button is the biggest disappointment in all of Autocad/CIVIL. It looks like it does what you want, but you press it and it does absolutely nothing even remotely usefull. I haven't come across any other posts where this idea was raised. Did they get deleted? Or did I just not find them?

Re: Selection filter via property window

ВeekeeCZ — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:33:09 GMT

It probably made sense when there was still a two-step selection (like 20 yrs ago :). Now it barely does.
I remember it being discussed because some clone has it integrated. But the public forum was dramatically deleted about a year ago... nobody found a solution, so it was deleted 🙂
However, it will undoubtedly be in the internal IdeaBoard. However, you can fill out the request, it will add one more insignificant vote, and you can hope that it will jump the line "investigating"

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Feedback-to-Autodesk.html

Re: Selection filter via property window

ChicagoLooper — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 12:33:33 GMT

@Dorien_Studio-LST

I use C3D all the time, NOT plain vanilla Cad. You need describe the objects you're selecting. If you're select civil objects you're selecting, e.g., cogos, alignments, Tinns, profiles, sub assemblies, feature lines, etc., etc., etc. You need to take your question to the Civil 3D Forum, not this one.

What does Select similar also doesn't take into account what was already selected.... mean? Explain in detail using civil terminology.

Re: Selection filter via property window

Dorien_Studio-LST — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 13:14:20 GMT

Object selection and the propertie window work the same in CIVIL as in Base autocad, so this isn't CIVIL-specific.

I did actually put this on the C3D forum, but base autocad functionality within CIVIL 3D is also often seen as not belonging there either (based on replies to other posts).

Selection filter via properties

Either way both places seem to have been the wrong place to post this.

I will avoid placing something in two places in the future, but I had yet to figure out what types of posts belongs where.

About the select similar thing:

Select similar just selects everything it finds in the drawing of that type, it doesn't filter based on what's already selected.

So if made a selection using a window, you can't do select similar and only select the [insert object type] you already had selected in this window.

Re: Selection filter via property window

ChicagoLooper — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 13:52:46 GMT

@Dorien_Studio-LST

I would recommend to post in the Forum based on the AutoCAD version you are using (Civil3D if you're using C3D). Don't base it on the button's function.

To achieve what you want, avoid QSELECT altogether and run Select Similar twice.

Use a selection window (crossing window) to select objects <<all objects in the selection area are selected>>
Right click=>Isolate Objects=>Isolate Selected objects <<only objects in the target window will now be visible>>
Select an individual object in the target 'group' (OR use another selection Window)=>Right click=>Isolate Objects=>Isolate Selected objects <<you are now filtering the original filtered window which means you're applying a second filter on top of the first filter>>

To end isolation, right click=>Isolate objects=>END Isolation.

Re: Selection filter via property window

jskalaXDDX5 — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 13:49:33 GMT

Kind of tagging on to ChicagoLooper's thoughts on Layers.

I found the whole Selection Filter thing didn't work well for what I wanted to do. Not sure if it was too much or too little or I didn't understand it, but I found Layer States to be an easier and more reliable way to do what I wanted.

So if all the Circles in your original example are on the same Layer it would work great...if they are not I am not sure Quick Select would work anyway...

And you could make your own buttons to run a macro...

I use my Layer 9 to draw Xlines/reference/scratch lines. The macro below selects and also Erases them using Layer States. I tried to do the same thing using Selection Filters and could not get that to work, in an automated way...doesn't mean it can't be done, but I couldn't do it...I started using the Layer States and have found them usefull in macros not only for selection but for doing what I want to do with the selection...Erase, Lock, Unlock, etc.

^C^C-LAYER;STATE;RESTORE;9;;;ERASE;ALL;;-LAYER;STATE;RESTORE;8;;;REGEN;

Re: Selection filter via property window

ВeekeeCZ — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 14:46:26 GMT

When I see those suggested workflows... Here's a little tool of mine that I use all the time - well, mostly in ACAD.. but it seems it works in C3D ents too.

HTH

Re: Selection filter via property window

chris_hallSTXWQ — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 02:25:47 GMT

I would love this functionality in AutoCAD... our office is migrating to Bricscad and they offer this, I'm luckily still on AutoCAD but I must admit being able to isolate by elements from the properties panel is very, very handy, it's one of my favourite differences between the two programs.

Re: Selection filter via property window

pendean — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:43:03 GMT

@chris_hallSTXWQ wrote:
... our office is migrating to Bricscad and they offer this...

Embrace the change! Autodesk isn't going to change anything in the program from a single post just for you anytime soon sadly.

Re: Selection filter via property window

pkomatlapalli — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:02:44 GMT

Hello @Dorien_Studio-LST

Just checking in—did the responses shared by @chris_hallSTXWQ and @pendean help clarify your question?

If so, please consider clicking the "Accept Solution" button on the post(s) that solved your problem. Doing so helps others in the community easily find useful answers.

If your question still needs more attention, feel free to reply here with an update. This way, other members can jump in with further suggestions or guidance to help you move forward.

All the best,

Pavan | Community Manager